Drum clamps



Jan. 22, 1957 G, PA TO 2,778,084

DRUM/CLAMPS Filed March 22, 1954 INVENTOR JACK e IMPARATO ATTORNE United States PatentO DRUM CLAMPS Jack G. Imparato, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor of one-half to John J. Imparato, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 22, 1954, Serial No. 417,743

4 Claims. (Cl. 24-263) This invention relates to clamp devices utilized in securing drums, or cylinders, together in a grouped arrangement in the storage thereof during transit in order to maintain the drums against relative movement and-to aid in retaining the drums against shifting on the transporting means. More particularly, the invention deals with a clamp comprising a complete assemblage of parts, in cluding cam means for moving a pair of clamp plates into operative position and in tensional support of the clamp in operative position.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a clamp made according to my invention, with parts of the construction broken away and in section and illustrating part of a drum ring in section, the clamp being also indicated in open position in dotdash lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, omitting part of the construction and showing the clamp arranged upon rings of adjacent drums; and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, omitting the background showing. 1

In illustrating one adaptation and use -of my invention, I have diagrammatically shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, the outwardly extending T-rings 10, of a pair of adjacent drums, on which one of my improved clamps is mounted. Each clamp comprises a pair of substantially similar top and bottom plates 11 and 12 having contracted ends 13 and wide ends 14, as noted in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The plates are of channelled cross-sectional form to engage the crossheads 15, 15' of the rings 10, 10, as is clearly noted in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The channel form of said plates provides side flanges extending from the contracted to the wide ends of said plates, the flanges being curved to substantially conform to the contour of the T-rings, as noted in Fig. 2. Both plates have elongated apertures 16 and 17 therein about centrally of the plate and mounted in these apertures is a coupling bar 18, which is oblong in rectangular form in cross-section to fit snugly, but freely, within the elongated apertures 16 and 17 of the plates 11 and 12.

Fixed to the lower end of the bar 18 is a transverse bearing pin 19 extending at opposed surfaces of the bar and adapted to operatively engage a heavy bowed spring element 20, apertured, as seen at 21, to receive the bar 18. The element 20 tensionally engages the bottom plate 12 when said plate 12 is in clamped position. A similar spring element 22 is arranged to engage the plate 11, the element 22 having an aperture 23, through which the bar 18, passes, as clearly noted in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Mounted in the upper end portion of the bar 18 is a transverse pin 24, on which is pivotally mounted a yokeshaped cam member 25. The cam member 25 comprises and joined in a crosshead 27. The plates 26 have eccentric cam surfaces, one of which is noted at 28 in Fig; 1 of the drawing and these surfaces bear upon the spring element 22 in moving the plates 11 and 12 into firm clamping engagement with the rings 10, 10'. It will be apparent that the illustration in Fig. 1 of the drawing is diagrammatic and made for sake of clarity. In some instances, the elements 20, 22 will be flattened to a greater degree or, in other words, placed under a greater degree of tension.

Fixed in an aperture 29 of the crosshead 27 of the cam 25 is an outwardly projecting pin 30, with which the socket portion 31 of an operating tool 32 is adapted to be coupled for movement of the cam from the dot-dash position, shown in Fig. 1, to the operative position shown in full lines. The spacing between the pins 19 and 24 is such as to provide ample clearance for mounting of the platesli and 12 upon the rings 10,10, sufiicient clearance being provided to compensate for any slight unevenness that may prevail in alinernent of the rings 10, 10', one with respect to the other.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the entire clamp is a unitary assemblage which can be conveniently handled as such, with no detachable parts, with the exception' of the operating tool 32 which tool is used in conjunction with a number of the clamp units. It will further. be apparent that the clamp unit is extremely simple in construction and is made, for the most part, from sheet metal parts fashioned to the desired contour. From this standpoint, the clamp is a materially simplified structure of the clamp shown and described in my prior application, Serial Number 387,851 filed October 23, 1953 and, in

1 a wider range of clamping engagement.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A clamp for engaging rings of adjacent drums, said clarnp comprising a pair of plates of channel cross-sectional form and substantially one thickness throughout, the

plates having curved flanged sides and wide and contractedends to conform with and engage drum rings adjacent abutment of said rings, said plates having elongated rectangular apertures substantially centrally thereof, and elongated bar arranged snugly but freely in said apertures, the bar having, atone end, a transverse pin projecting beyond side surfaces of the bar and retaining said plates against displacement from said end of the bar, a cam member pivoted to the other end of the bar and retaining said plates against displacement from said end, the cam member being yoke-shaped in form and defined by side plates joined by a crosshead, said bar being disposed between the side plates of the cam member, one channel plate being arranged on the bar adjacent said pin, the other channel plate being arranged between the first plate and said cam member, the side plates of the cam member having eccentric cam surfaces for moving said plates into operative position, a pin fixed to the crosshead of the cam member and projecting therebeyond, and said pin being adapted to receive a tool for actuating the cam member in moving the plates into clamping position upon the rings of said drums.

2. A clamp for engaging rings of adjacent drums, said clamp comprising a pair of plates of channel crosssectional form and substantially one thickness throughout, the plates having curved flanged sides and wide and contracted ends to conform with and engage drum rings adjacent abutment of said rings, said plates having elongated rectangular apertures substantially centrally thereof, an elongated bar arranged snugly but freely in said aper jecting beyond side surfaces of the bar and retaining said plates against displacement from said end of the bar, a cam member pivoted to the other end of the bar andretaining said plates against displacement from said end, the cam member beingflyoke-shaped in form and defined by side'plates joined by a crosshead, said bar being disposed between the side plates of the cam member, one channel. plate being arranged on the bar adjacent said pin, the other channel plate being arranged between the first plate and said cam member, the side plates of the cam member having eccentric cam surfaces for moving said plates into operativeposition, a pin fixed to the crosshead of the cam member and projecting therebeyond, said pin being adaptedto receive a tool for actuating the cam member in moving the plates into clamping position upon the rings of said drums, a sheet metal spring element aper tured to receive said ban and said element being disposed adjacent abutment of said rings, said plates having elongated rectangular apertures substantially centrally thereof, an elongated bar arranged snugly but freely in said aper tures, the bar having, at one end, a transverse pin projecting beyond side surfaces of the bar and retaining said plates against displacement from said end of the bar, a cam member pivoted to the other end of the bar and retaining said plates against displacement from said end,v the cam member being yoke-shaped in form and defined by side plates joined by a crosshead, said bar being disposed between the side plates of the cam member, one channel plate being arranged on the bar adjacent said pin, the other channel plate being arranged between the first plate and said cam member, the side plates of the cam member having eccentric cam surfaces for moving said plates into operative position, a pin fixed to the crosshead of the cam member and projecting therebeyond, said pin being adapted to receive a tool for actuating the cam member in moving the plates into clamping position ap'ertured to receive said bar, said element being disposed between protruding ends of the first named pin and the adjacent channelled plate, and another apertnred sheet metal spring element disposed between the other of said channelled plates and the cam surfaces of said cam member.

4. A clamp for engaging rings of adjacent drums, said clamp comprising a pair of similar sheet metal channelled plates adapted to be arranged with the channel. flanges of each channelled plate respectively Within channels in opposed relationship to each other and upon rings of adjacent drums, the plates having curved flanged sides and wide and contracted ends to conform with and engage the drum rings adjacent abutment of said rings, said plates having alined elongated rectangular apertures centrally thereof, a sheet metal bar of rectangular crosssectional form substantially conforming to said apertures, end portions of, the bar having pin members protruding beyond side surfaces of the bar and retaining said plates against displacement from said bar, one pin member checking movement of the plates in one direction on the bar, a cam member rotatably mounted on the other pin and fixed against displacement therefrom, said cam memher being yoke-shaped in form and defined by side plates joined byv a crosshead, said side plates having cam surfaces eccentric with respect to the axis defined by the second named pin, the crosshead of said cam member having means facilitating actuation of the cam member in movement of said plates into clamping engagement with the rings of adjacent drums, and tensional means arranged on said bar and operatively engaging both of the plates for tensionally supporting the clamp in operative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS (Addition to 920,788) 

